Iranian Consul General in Erbil, Murtadha Abadi, confirmed that Barzani and Qubad Talabani are expected to meet with President Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Ali Shamkhani, the secretary of Iran's National Security Council.

According to NRT, Barzani and Talabani will discuss latest political developments in the region and Iraq as well as Baghdad-Erbil relations.

Iran was among the neighboring countries which opposed the independence poll held on Sept. 25 last year by the Kurdistan Region.

In the aftermath of the referendum, Iran closed the border crossings, at the demand of Baghdad, after the Kurdistan Region voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence; a referendum that Baghdad insisted was illegal.

Reporter’s code: 50101